Why Downtime is Good for Your Brain

WHY DOWNTIME IS GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN. I've been Type A and goal-oriented for as long as I can remember. In 5th grade, I read the most books so I could get first pick of baby rats to take home when the class learned about mating (yes, that was a contest).

Being driven and self-motivated helped me excel in medical school and beyond. Even now, I often spend 12 hour days at the office, followed by work on other projects.

But it's exhausting to maintain this pace. As I get older, I crave more frequent downtime away, in the mountains 🗻🎿⛰ and on the ocean 🌊. There's a scientific explanation for this. It turns out that downtime -- when you're not focused on anything (not even a movie or scrolling through IG) -- actually replenishes your brain's productivity, memory, and creativity. It just feels good. And I've had some amazing epiphanies and solved life problems when I turned my brain off.

I prescribe downtime for all of you, whether it's taking those vacation hours you've accrued or even if it's only for a short nap during the day. Your brain and body will thank you!